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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24493957">The Gift</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlyingUnhindered/pseuds/FlyingUnhindered'>FlyingUnhindered</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Undertale (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Asriel battle, Asriel gets saved, Female Chara (Undertale), Gen, Hopes and Dreams, Male Frisk (Undertale)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 05:01:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,980</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24493957</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlyingUnhindered/pseuds/FlyingUnhindered</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Frisk is fighting Asriel, but there comes a point when he doesn't know what to do and can't even move. He calls for help... and somebody comes.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Chara &amp; Asriel Dreemurr</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Gift</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yeesha/gifts">Yeesha</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Happy (late) birthday, Yeesha! :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The world went white. Even when the blinding light cleared, Frisk remained where he was, still shocked by the last ten minutes. He had been about to fight Asgore when heavy thumps drew nearer. Both of them turned in time to see a fireball knock the king off his feet. Breathing heavily, the fireball’s owner smoothed out her rumpled robe and turned to Frisk, smiling in relief as much as in fierce, protective love.</p><p>Almost before Frisk could believe that Toriel was actually standing there in front of him, another rapid beat of footsteps approached, their owner charging into the room with a “Ngahhhhhh!!!” intended to halt the fighting she had expected to burst in on.</p><p>Behind Undyne came Alphys, her approach at trying to halt the expected battle much timider than Undyne’s, complete with her typical stuttering. Then Papyrus rushed into the room, cape flying behind him as always, despite the fact that there was no wind here. Sans strolled in moments later.</p><p>By the time Frisk grasped that his friends really were standing in front of him, Toriel was explaining that he would have to stay in the Underground for a while longer. Not that he really minded. It was peaceful here. For about ten seconds - until Flowey showed up.</p><p>It started when a vine as thick as Undyne’s body slammed into the monsters. The next thing he knew, his friends had been trussed up with smaller vines and suspended above him.</p><p>Flowey gloated over his surprisingly easy success in taking control of the timeline again before blaming the human for befriending everyone, which was the only reason they had come. </p><p>“But why?” Frisk asked.</p><p>Flowey didn’t miss a beat. He explained that Frisk was in a game Flowey controlled, a game that would never end, a game that Frisk could never win. To add to it was the tantalizing promise that everything would be restored, and the barrier would be broken… <em> If </em> Frisk won.</p><p>Four rings of “friendliness pellets” encircled the child before he could react, the first three closing in instantly. Frisk cried out and fell to his knees, where he watched what he thought was his certain demise.</p><p>Fire erupted between him and the bullets, just in time to repel them. Flowey stared. Toriel smiled. Flowey tried again, only to meet a wall of spears and bones. A third try was met with lightning and more fire. Suddenly a stampede of feet made every head turn. Monster after monster poured into the room with a chorus of encouragements and cheers.</p><p>Flowey had pretended to panic, but only long enough for naïve relief to wash over Frisk’s face. Then he laughed maniacally. The world faded into white amidst the screams and cries of every monster. When Frisk could see again, he was alone in a dark void, not with Flowey, but with a monster child his size. And with that, the pieces of information he had absorbed from all over the Underground clicked into place.</p><p>Asriel smiled at him, greeting him with the name of someone who was long gone, moments prior to transforming even further. Frisk stared. Asriel looked to be a hundred times larger than Asgore, as he floated in front of him.</p><p> </p><p>The first attack almost seemed like a warm-up compared to what followed. Streams of fireballs sprayed around the human, almost like Toriel’s had.</p><p>In the moments after the bullets had passed, Frisk closed his eyes and thought of the hopes of the monsters in New Home, storytellers who shared the same dream as every other monster in the Underground. He was fighting for their lives as much as for his own.</p><p>Asriel flew back and forth through the air, a rainbow shadow following his every move. Frisk tried to ignore the hypnotizing shadow, wondering if he flew around just so his shadow would move. The monster raised his hand and stars the size of Frisk rained down on him, exploding like fireworks into hundreds of smaller stars. He winced when he didn’t dodge one, glancing down at the gash on his leg once he had a chance. He could live with it.</p><p>Asriel spoke above him. “You know… I don’t care about destroying this world anymore.”</p><p>Frisk’s vision was still punctuated by bright flashes of light from the star attack, but he knew he wasn’t seeing things when strange shadows covered parts of the floor like white squares on a checkerboard. He concentrated on moving from safe square to safe square, doing his best to ignore the lightning falling around him. Somehow he managed to survive. He doubled over, breathing heavily.</p><p>Asriel spoke in the silence, almost laughing, almost taunting. “After I defeat you and get complete control of the timeline… I just want to reset everything.”</p><p>Frisk’s eyes narrowed into a glare, but only until Asriel advanced on him, wielding a saber in each hand. He ran. It almost felt like a game of tag - until one weapon found his unwounded leg. He yelped. Asriel’s swords disappeared and he continued speaking where he had left off.</p><p>Again the floor looked like a checkerboard. Frisk tried to run, but one of his legs gave way and he fell just in time to receive the full force of a large lightning bolt. The attack stopped. Asriel seemed to want to watch him die.</p><p>But Frisk couldn’t die now! He was fighting for the world! If he died now, everything would be reset. Asriel would have his way. With everything in him, Frisk fought the growing darkness that threatened to overwhelm him, remembering the hope in everyone’s eyes and the dream everyone shared.</p><p>Suddenly the darkness was gone, as if someone had turned the lights on. Asriel stared. Frisk rose and stretched. He was back at full health; how had that happened? The only thing he could think of was determination. The how didn’t matter right now, but he knew that somehow, even though Asriel had all the power in the world, the monster hadn’t been able to kill him.</p><p>The human focused only on surviving. Asriel’s almost laughing, almost pitying “And then you’ll lose to me again.” did little to faze him. Frisk kept his attention on the bullets flying at him in alternating lines.</p><p>“And again.”</p><p>He narrowly avoided the huge laser that finished off the attack.</p><p>“And again!!”</p><p>Asriel floated closer this time before manifesting his sabers. Frisk ran. Behind him he could hear a whistling sound each time the monster swung at him.</p><p>“Do you know why you’ll always lose?” Asriel didn’t expect an answer. “Because you want a ‘happy ending.’” Frisk remembered how long it had taken him to defeat Undyne peaceably. “Because you ‘love your friends.’” Five faces appeared in his mind. “Because you ‘never give up.’” His thoughts flashed back to only minutes ago where he had refused to die.</p><p> </p><p>Soon there were so many stars falling that Frisk wondered if Asriel could even spot him through the hail of bullets. In the nick of time, he turned and realized another huge laser was aimed at him. It grazed his side, but nothing more. He winced. Asriel laughed, though he sounded bored.</p><p>“Alright, I’m done messing around. It’s time to get rid of you for real now!”</p><p>Once the new attack appeared, Frisk’s eyes were riveted to it: a huge, blown-up version of Asriel’s head, floating between them. Its mouth opened and issued a long, loud, evil laugh. Frisk felt himself sucked toward it, as if it was a vacuum and he was the dirt. As he was painfully pulled closer, the world grew white. When everything was “normal” again, Frisk was lying on the ground, grimacing. He had no wounds save for a brutal bruise covering his body, like he had rolled down a pile of rocks.</p><p>“You’re still standing in my way even after that attack…?” Frisk managed a smile. “Don’t get cocky,” Asriel warned. “Until now, I've only been using a fraction of my <em> real </em> power! What good is your determination against this!?” he challenged.</p><p>The world, including Asriel, seemed to stretch to disproportionate sizes until he disappeared. Suddenly he was there again, his body colossally different, even larger than before. Frisk stared. If Asriel’s head hadn’t remained practically the same, he might not even have recognized the huge legless monster floating above and in front of him. His metallic-looking wings constantly shifted color, and his body reminded Frisk of Mettaton without legs.</p><p>Asriel’s face was one of fierce triumph. Meanwhile Frisk couldn’t even move.</p><p>Asriel raised his hands, and a hundred comet-like bullets sprayed from them. Frisk felt them cutting into him from all angles. He had been in enough battles - died enough times - to know he was dying now. But with all the determination he had, he fought to stay alive. And then he was at full health. He still couldn’t move, but he wasn’t dead either.</p><p>Asriel was unfazed. “Every time you die, your grip on this world slips. Your friends forget you a little more. You’re going to die here, in a world where no one remembers you.”</p><p>Maybe he was right. Maybe Frisk was about to die. Maybe the whole world was ending. But he wasn’t about to give up.</p><p>More comet bullets flew through the air, though not as many this time. Some had wounded him, but he was not in danger of dying.</p><p>Asriel laughed. “Are you still holding on!? Show me what good your determination is now!”</p><p>But Frisk didn’t know what to do. He still couldn’t move. He couldn’t save, no matter how hard he tried. But he remembered what he had done when fighting Asriel - technically Flowey - before. He called for help. Like in the previous fight, he wondered if anything would happen. And like in the previous fight, his help came.</p><p>This time, it came in the form of a speck of color, quickly drawing nearer. As it approached, Frisk could make out the form of a girl running toward him. His eyes flicked to Asriel, who was watching with interest.</p><p>With a start, Frisk realized that she was the human who had been in the pictures in Toriel’s and Asgore’s houses. Chara. She glanced at Asriel, who didn’t seem to recognize her. She held out her hand to Frisk, who took it and stood up. Asriel must have released his body.</p><p>The boy turned to the girl. “What do I do? I’ve tried to save, but I don’t have enough power…”</p><p>Chara studied the great monster intently. “Maybe you can save something else. Try reaching out to your friends. Close your eyes and imagine you’re stretching out your hands to them.”</p><p>Frisk obeyed, promptly shutting his eyes. He imagined they were off in the distance and he was walking toward them, hands outstretched as far as they would go. Opening his eyes, he saw six figures, all disoriented and confused. Smiling, he approached Toriel and Asgore, Chara following at a distance. </p><p>The boss monsters stared at him blankly, even after he called them by name.</p><p>“They don’t remember,” Chara called. “You have to help them remember.”</p><p>Frisk couldn’t think of anything to do, so he just hugged them.</p><p>“I think it’s working. Try hugging them again.”</p><p>After the second hug, their eyes lit up with recognition. Toriel smiled down at him. “Your fate is up to you now,” she said gently. <em> I can’t protect you anymore. </em></p><p>He could see the hope in Asgore’s eyes when he spoke. “You are our future.” There was almost a pleading note in it. <em> Stay determined. Don’t give up. </em></p><p>Asriel said nothing, so Frisk moved on to Papyrus and Sans. Chara watched him.</p><p>“Um, Sans? I think your jokes are… humerus…?” It seemed to hit a chord with both of them, one major and one minor. Next he pulled out the crossword he had picked up in Snowdin. It had been Sans’ puzzle supposedly intended to stop him. “Papyrus, I haven’t been able to find the word ‘g-i-a-s-f-c-l-f-e-b-r-e-h-b-e-r.’ Can you help me?” The taller skeleton’s face turned thoughtful. He still didn’t recognize Frisk, so he tried again. “Can I try some of your spaghetti sometime?” Papyrus studied the human’s face intently, trying to remember what was so familiar about him. Chara snorted.</p><p>“You don’t want to try it.”</p><p>Frisk turned to Sans. “I remember some of the puns you told me. Like how you told Papyrus you got a skele-ton of work done when I was behind the lamp.”</p><p>That opened their eyes to see who he was. Papyrus smiled encouragingly at him. “<span class="papyrus-upper">OH! YOU’RE MY FRIEND!</span>” <em> <span class="papyrus-upper">I BELIEVE IN YOU!</span> </em></p><p>Sans smiled also. “<strong><span class="comicsans-lower">i’m rootin’ for ya.</span></strong>” <em> <strong><span class="comicsans-lower">you’ll do fine, kid.</span></strong> </em></p><p>Chara watched Asriel while Frisk saved Undyne (<em>C’mon, punk! You can beat him!!</em>) and Alphys (<em>Y-you can do it!</em>)</p><p>Once he saved the last of his friends, they disappeared into the darkness again. Now it was his turn to stand back and watch while Chara stepped forward.</p><p>“Asriel,” she whispered. </p><p>Asriel jumped. “W-wh-what? W-what are you doing!?”</p><p>She didn’t answer. She just kept talking. “Remember when you found me? You heard my cry and came to help me.” The look in his eyes - and in Chara’s - told Frisk that they were remembering the same thing. “You helped me home. We became best friends. We smiled together - laughed together.”</p><p>There was no question that Asriel realized who she was now. He closed his eyes. “Wh… what’s this- What am I feeling?” Frisk doubted he had felt love for a hundred years. It was no wonder that he was confused. “What’s happening to me?” Angrily his eyes snapped open, teeth bared. “No…! NO! I don't need you! I don’t need ANYONE!”</p><p>Frisk saw the warning signs first and grabbed Chara’s arm, pulling her away from Asriel as hundreds of angry comet bullets flew from the monster’s hands. Surprisingly few found their mark.</p><p>Once they were gone, Chara approached him again. “Asriel-”</p><p>“STOP IT!” Asriel screamed. “Get away from me!” She didn’t. “Didn’t you hear me!? I’ll tear you apart!”</p><p>Again Frisk saw the warning signs, but this time no more than ten bullets flew half-heartedly at them.</p><p>Asriel fidgeted with his hands. “Chara, do you know why I’m doing this? Why I keep fighting to have you around?</p><p>Chara gazed up at him. “Why, Ree?”</p><p>“Because- you’re special, Chara. You’re the only one who understands me.” Fireballs weakly flew past them, veering away from either human if they got too close. “But more than that… I care about you, Chara. I care about you more than anything else!”</p><p>The girl smiled, a mix of emotions covering her face.</p><p>“And- I’m not ready for this to end. I’m not ready for you to leave. I’m not ready to-” His voice cracked, but he kept going anyway. “to say goodbye- to you <em> again </em>.”</p><p>Asriel opened his mouth and let out a howl. “Please, Chara! Stop doing this… AND JUST LET ME WIN!!!” he shrieked with all his might. He brought his hands together and a blinding beam of rainbow light engulfed the room.</p><p>Frisk fell to the ground under its painful weight, but he was able to see when Chara stepped forward, apparently unaffected by the attack.</p><p>“STOP IT!!” She kept walking. “STOP IT NOW!!!” The closer she came, the more the light faded. Slowly, Asriel sank to the ground. Unfazed by his huge size, she approached him and rested her hands on his massive muzzle.</p><p>“It’s okay,” she whispered. “You don’t need to fight anymore. You can go home.” If he noticed the tinge of sadness in his friend’s voice, he didn’t mention it.</p><p>His body shifted and shrank until he looked like the child he really was. “I’m so sorry, Chara,” he sniffed, then laughed ruefully. “I was always a crybaby, wasn’t I?”</p><p>Chara just hugged him. “I’m sorry, Ree.” She closed her eyes. “I’m sorry.”</p><p>Wet eyes met wet eyes. “H-how did you come back?”</p><p>The girl hesitated. “I heard someone calling for help, and I wanted to help.” She bit her lip. “But I knew… It would cost me something. I don’t have much longer left to live, Asriel.” She stepped back to meet his eyes squarely. “<em>I </em> chose to come back. I knew what would happen. I don’t want you to feel guilty for my dying. …But don’t cry, Ree. There was another reason I came back.” Chara held something out to him. “I knew you can’t - won’t - go to the Surface if you can’t feel love. But… I won’t need my soul much longer. I want you to take it and go to the Surface for me.”</p><p>Asriel’s eyes were fixed on the red heart. “Chara…”</p><p>“You’ll still have something to remember me by.” Her voice was quieter now. “Please, Ree. I want you to be happy. Can you do that for me?”</p><p>It was obvious her body was fading. Chara smiled at him and hugged him again. “You’ll do great.” Asriel squeezed her tightly.</p><p>“I-I’ll try, Chara.” He turned to the barrier, taking a deep breath. “But first, it’s time for everyone to go free.”</p><p>Frisk walked to stand by Chara, and together they watched the power of thousands of souls attack the barrier until it cracked down the middle and vanished. In the silence that followed, Frisk could feel his smile before he realized he was even smiling.</p><p>Asriel’s eyes were fixed on something floating beside Frisk, who had been so fixed on the barrier that he had hardly realized Chara had faded completely. The monster child walked over to the shimmering soul, looked at it with watery eyes, and finally absorbed it. Rubbing his eyes, he looked over at the human child standing in front of him.</p><p>“What- what’s your name?”</p><p>“Frisk.”</p><p>“‘Frisk?’ That’s…” An old memory resurfaced in his mind and he smiled wistfully. “That’s a nice name.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Original idea: "During the final fight with Asriel, Chara arrives. She gives her soul to Asriel, enabling him to live as himself rather than a soulless flower."</p><p>I remembered a couple panels from <a href="https://dreemurr-reborn.tumblr.com/post/132305195191/the-mistake-part-5-previous-next-please">The Mistake - Part 5</a> (part of <a href="https://dreemurr-reborn.tumblr.com/">Dreemurr Reborn</a>) and couldn't resist quoting it. Specifically, these two panels:<br/> <br/><br/></p></blockquote></div></div>
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